The present disclosure is directed to an attachment which is incorporated to limit water drainage which occurs with chronic leakage. More particularly, it is an attachment which affixes to the equipment located in a water closet or chest, referring to the chamber which holds a charge of water above a typical or conventional bowl in a commode installation. A charge of water is normally accumulated in the water closet. The charge of water measures several gallons, typically in the range of 2-3 gallons. The total water discharge per operation can measure as much as 7 gallons and as little as 2 gallons. This is controlled by the normal operation of the equipment. There is, however regrettably, an abnormal detriment to operation. Sometimes, there will be chronic or continual leakage. After draining of the water closet, the refilling cycle charges the water closet to a specified height determined by a float. A typical, rather well known system uses a float bulb appended to the end of a long arm or lever. As the water rises, the bulb is raised with it and operates the arm to turn off a valve. The charge of water stored in the water closet is held indefinitely. There is the risk of leakage. When leakage occurs, water continues to dribble at a small rate out of the water closet and ultimately to the sewer system. It is unused water. In fact, it can be very wasteful. Moreover, the waste of water can be chronic because the water closet operates to be refilled. Rather than filling only once at the time of operation, continued refilling will occur. This recycle is a result of leakage replacement. This refilling can be very wasteful. Depending on the rate of leakage, a chronic leak can require refilling with perhaps 50 to 100 gallons of water per day in a leaky water closet. Because it is a leak that is not seen, there is no drumming of a falling drop of water that might be heard from a kitchen faucet. That leak can be seen or heard. In this particular instance, nothing is seen and the leak may well be substantially silent. In that circumstance, the leakage can continue indefinitely, thereby frustrating the use of the equipment and wasting substantial quantities of water.
The leakage that occurs in this particular situation is particularly difficult to detect because leakage continues indefinitely. Moreover, the equipment in the water closet operates automatically to refill the water closet to a required level. The float bulb is raised to accomplish this.
When such leakage does occur it is chronic and continuous. When such leakage does occur it continues with substantial loss, especially when the leakage rate becomes great. Since the equipment incorporates a relatively inexpensive flapper valve into, the bowl from the water closet, leakage is not uncommon.
The present disclosure is a mechanism which is adapted to be fitted onto pre-existing equipment. It is particularly used for the water closet valve controlled mechanism used in filling the water closet. The most common type installation utilizes a bulb affixed to the end of a long arm. As the water level comes up, the bulb is floated upwardly, thereby operating the equipment. The present equipment is an adapted which can be fitted on that type of mechanism. There is another type mechanism. Rather than using a laterally extending arm mounting a floatable bulb, this uses a donut shaped ring. The donut ring is buoyant (as is the bulb) and is raised vertically. It is tethered by virtue of fitting the ring around an upstanding post. The ring and cooperative post jointly define a mechanism which monitors water level through the buoyancy of the floating ring. In this particular version, a laterally extending arm is also operated. In effect, both types of devices use laterally extending arms which respond to a buoyant float. Moreover, the buoyant float, whether a bulb or ring, is raised and lowered on the surface of the water which movement is conveyed to the mechanism through or by means of a connected arm. The arm operates a valve mechanism which terminates the large influx of water in the ordinary operation of the equipment.
One aspect of the present disclosure is the incorporation of two different embodiments which use the same mounting collar. Moreover, the present invention cooperates with this mounting collar to position a latch for the float operated valve mechanism. Recalling the float either is a bulb or hollow donut, an arm is operated which senses the rising water level and which opens or closes a valve to fill the water closet. Water volume is monitored through arm movement. The value apparatus is interdicted by the disclosed system so that the arm is locked temporarily in position. Thus when the water closet is drained completely, the float responds to filling by raising the float, thereby transferring motion from the float to the valve. The arm can be locked in the up position associated with complete filling. This prevents subsequent refilling (even at a very slow rate) as typically occurs when the water closet is slowly drained by small leaks in the system. The apparatus of the present disclosure is an accessory which can be incorporated on new or old equipment to provide that function.
The apparatus of the present disclosure catches the float operated arm as it moves upwardly. The arm is caught and held until later release of the water. Then, the float is free to fall because the arm is moved out of the grasp of the present apparatus. 0n refilling, the arm is caught again so that the device automatically resets after each intentional operation.
In one aspect, the present apparatus incorporates a mounting collar which appends to the valve mechanism above the water line. It incorporates a latch which grabs the extending arm joined to the float. This arm is thereafter held in a latched position and is not free to move downwardly until intentionally released. 0n latch rotation, release occurs.